15 Nov 2021  |   05:32am IST

Horti Corp to venture into wholesale marketing of commodities

Proposes to come up with wholesale outlets in Mapusa, Ponda, Sanquelim and Margao in the first phase

Team Herald

PANJIM: Focusing on becoming self-reliant and aiming at controlling price of vegetables and fruits, the Goa Horticulture Corporation Limited (GHCL) has now decided to venture into wholesale marketing of the commodities. 

In the first phase, the Corporation has proposed to come up with wholesale outlets in Mapusa, Ponda, Sanquelim and Margao. At present, the Corporation is selling vegetables and fruits at subsidised retail rates across its 1,200 outlets. 

The Corporation Manager (Farm) Raghunath Joshi said the proposal is in the pipeline as the corporation is in talks with market yards from the concerned areas, for allocation of space. 

“Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has directed all the corporations to work towards becoming self-reliant. We are working in that direction. The wholesale outlet will help us to generate revenue and also help in controlling prices of vegetables and fruits,” said Joshi. 

For the current financial year, the corporation has allotted 71 new retail outlets. Of the total 1,764 outlets granted permission, 1200 are operational at present. 

Joshi said the corporation is also discussing ideas like providing home-delivery of vegetables, fruits and even groceries to senior citizens in and around where the outlets are located. 

The corporation is in process of creating infrastructure of a godown and automated grocery packing unit and purchase of two cold freezer vans for better procurement, transportation, storage and marketing of commodities, with financial assistance from the Central government. The project will be funded by Centre and State. 

During the financial year 2020-21, the GSHCL procured 1,103.01 tonnes of 13 different varieties of vegetables from 1,114 farmers as against 1,008.80 tonnes in 2019-20. 

The existing vegetables procured are ladyfingers, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, cluster beans, French beans, chillies, onions, potatoes and tomatoes. More 14 included in the list are ginger, capsicum, ash gourd, diascorea, amado, drumstick, red pumpkin, sweet potato, bread fruit, long bean, banana flower bud, aakur and jackfruit.